Leather surfacing machine



Dec. 11, 1934. E} H. VAN VALKENBURGH 1,983,585

LEATHER SURFACING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 21, 1935 r O f. n e v n 3 E/ Vm Vafimwy/p a 2 (Ittcrneg Dec. 11, 93 E. H. VAN VALKENBURGH LEATHER SURFAC ING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Ittorneg Dec. 11, 1934.

I E. H. VAN VALKENBURGH LEATHER SURFACING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 EH m Vmi ilgib (Zttorneg Patented Dec. 11. 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE -9Claims.

This invention relates to leather surfacing machines of the type adapted to surface tanned hides for shoes and the like. Among other objects, it aims to provide an improved surfacing machine designed to surface whole hides in a continuous operation and having provision to buif the surface uniformly throughout its width irrespective of ordinary variations in thickness of the hide.

In the accompanying drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an improved machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, parts being broken away; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

The ordinary commercial bufling machines used in the surfacing of shoe leather and the like have relatively short bufling cylinders making it necessary to feed ahide several times into the machine to bufi its entire surface. Moreover, such machines usually have feed rolls which are manual- 1y operated to hold the hide against the bufling cylinder. Different pressures applied to the feed rolls will necessarily result in producing an uneven surface on the hides. To buff the surface a hole hide has to be manipulated several times and this limits the capacity of a machine. This invention aims to provide a machine which is capable of surfacing whole hides in one continuous operation and producing a uniformly smooth surface, irrespective of slight irregularities in the thickness of the hide between its ends. Moreover, it has provisions for exerting substantially uniform pressure on the hide throughout the surfacing operation.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the improved surfacing mechanism is shown as being mounted on a suitable frame 10, carrying a surfacing roll, composed of a cylinder 11, having an abrasive surface 12, preferably produced by dusting emery or other abrasive material on an adhesive substance, such as glue.

Slidably 'mounted on the top of the frame in front of the surfacing roll is a feed table 13 having supporting brackets 14 at its ends which are guided to reciprocate on rods 15. A feed roll 16 composed of very soft rubber or similar yielding material is shown as being mounted on a shaft 17 which is journaled between and carried by the upstanding brackets 14 so that the feed roll may reciprocate or slidewith the feed table.

Cooperating with'the feed roll 16 is a hard pinch roll 18 journaled in a pair of arms 19 which are pivotally mounted at their rear ends on upstanding brackets 20 at the opposite ends of the frame. This pinch roll is normally pressed 5 against the feed roll 16 by means of springs 21 coiled on adjustable eye-bolts 22 and abutting the arms 19 and ears 23 on the brackets20. .The arrangement is such that the eye-bolts 22 limit the downwardswinging movement of the pinch roll. 10 The brackets 20 are also slidable horizontally so that the pinch roll 11 may be adjusted to come in contact with the surfacing roll when the roll 11 is to be resurfaced. In this example, the upstanding brackets 20 are adjusted by means of adjusting screws 24 threaded into the brackets at the opposite ends of the pinch rolls and 00- operating with fixed upright brackets 25'.

When the surfacing roll is to be sanded, or abrasive is applied to its surface, the pinch'roll 20 18 may be adjusted so that it revolves against the roll 11 and spreads the abrasive material uniformly on the roll. Also, the roll 18 imbeds the abrasive evenly into the glue coating which is applied to the roll 11. a At this time, the roll 18 is disengaged from the feed roll 16 and the feed roll is moved away from the roll 11 so that the abrasive will not be smeared on the feed roll. Thus the pinch roll serves the double purpose of feeding the hide to the abrasive roll and of imbedding the abrasive into the glue on the surfacing roll 11.

The feed roll 16 is normally urged toward the surfacing roll to exert adjustable pressure on the hide during the surfacing operation by means of a system of levers operated by counter-weighted treadle levers 26 at each end of the frame near the bottom thereof. In this instance, the levers 26 are pivotally mounted on a longitudinal rod 27, joumalled in the ends of the frame 10, and a 'treadle board 28 is secured to the forward ends of the levers. Weights 29 are adjustably mounted on the rear ends of the levers to transmit the clamping pressure through pivoted rods 30 having turnbuckles 31 for adjusting their length. These rods are pivotally connected at their upper end to bell crank levers 32 journalled on the frame 10 and having pin and slot connections to the upstanding brackets 14 (Figs. 3 and 5). Thus, the feed roll normally tends to press the hides against the surfacing roll 11 and the pressure is adapted to be released or regulated by pressing upon the treadle board 28.

To limit the movement of the feed roll 16 toward the surfacing roll, there is shown a pair of adjusting screws 33 extending through upstanding ears 34 which are fixed relative to the frame, said screws being threaded through the brackets 14. The arrangement is such that the inner ends of the adjusting screws abut against stop members 35 (Fig. 5) on the framework-and limit the rearward movement of both of the brackets 14 carrying the feed roll shaft 1'7.

The surfacing roll is shown as being driven by an ordinary pulley 36 at one end of its shaft and a stepped pulley 3'7 on the other end of the surfacing roll shaft drives a belt 38 and a pulley 39 on a stub shaft 40 at the lower end of the frame. See Fig. 1. This stub shaft drives a beveled pinion 41, and a beveled gear 42 mounted on the lower end of a universal spline shaft 43 which carries at its upper end another beveled pinion 44 driving a beveled gear 45 keyed to the feed roll shaft 1'7. By means of this. gearing, the feed roll has a positive drive, and its speed is at a fixed though variable ratio to speed of the surfacing roll, thereby insuring the proper speed for smooth feeding of the hides. Also the driving mechanism permits the feed roll shaft to I be moved back and forth or to be adjusted as' heretofore described.

It will be understood that a hideis fed into the machine by placing it upon the feed table and moving it forwardly by hand. It is initially gripped between the pinch roll 18 and the feed roll 16 and fed downwardly between the feed roll and the surfacing roll. The feeding move-' ment is slower than the peripheral velocity of the surfacing roll. As the hide is abraded by the surfacing roll, it clings to the latter, hence to prevent damage to the machine and to the hide, it is necessary that the surfaced end of the hide be released from the surfacing roll and be fed out of the machine before it has wrapped itself around the surfacing roll.

For this purpose a rotary brush 46 isprovided whose periphery moves in the opposite direction to that of the surfacing roll and which is driven by means of a pulley 47 on the stub shaft and a belt 48 trained over a small pulley 49 in one end of the brush shaft (Fig. 1). The brush driving belt 48 is kept taut by means of a belt tightener 50. The brush 46 is preferably made adjustable both forwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and downwardly so that it may be brought in contact with the hide at the most effective point in remove it from the surfacing roll 11. Provision is also made to lower the brush a substantial distance so that a pan (not shown) may be placed under the roll 11 to catch surplus abrasive when the roll is resurfaced. In

this example, the brush shaft is journaled in two pivoted arms 51 mounted at their rear ends on adjustable studs 52 which are carried by the machine frame and pivotally connected at their forward ends to a pair of adjustable links 53,

and these links 53 have elbow joints 54 connecting them to arms 55. which are secured to a longitudinal shaft 56. Also secured on the shaft 56 is a weighted arm 57 normally holding the links and arms in a straight line, as shown in- 3. A hand lever 58 is secured to the shaft 56 outside of the frame at one end and this lever is normally held against a stop pin 59 on the frame by the action of the weighted arm 5'! to prevent the links 53 and arms 55 from moving rearwardly beyond straight line position. When the brush 46 is to be lowered, the lever 58 is 75 moved toward the front of the machine breaking the joint 54 and permitting the arms51 and brush 46 to swing downwardly. The surfacing roll may then be resurfaced without scattering abrasive through the brush 46.

To guide a hide out of the machine after it has been surfaced, a plurality of spaced rods 60 are secured at their forward ends to a bar 61 which is hinged as at 62 to the front cross bar 63 of the machine frame. The rear ends of the rods are curved downwardly, as shown in--Fig. 3', and extend over and partially around the brush roll at the base of the bristles. Circular rows of bristies are omitted at intervals corresponding to the V spacing of the rods to accommodate the rods, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. By the-above described arrangement of the rods, they rise and fall with the corresponding adjustments of the brush.

To keep the feed roll clean at all times so that the hides will not be pitted or otherwise damaged,

' there is shown a rotary cleaning brush 64 having a power-driven shaft 65 which is journaled in bearings 66 suspended from the feed table (Figs. 1 and 3). This brush contacts with and revolves in an opposite direction from the feed roll. The brush 64 is shown as being driven by means. of

a pulley 67 on shaft 65, belt 68, and pulley 69 on shaft 40. This cleaning brush also prevents the hide from tending to wrap around the feed roll after being freed from the surfacing roll.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the improved machine is capable of surfacing whole hides uniformly in one continuous operation, i. e., no withdrawals or reworking is nec-.

essary. A single operator can feed hides successively into the machine and remove the surfaced hides as fast as they are delivered to the front of the machine. The adjustable rubber feed roll insures uniform surfacing of the hides and does not depend on manually applied pressure. There are relatively few parts which require replacement and the mechanism is sosimplified that an ordinary mechanic may operate the machine without any complicated instructions.

Obviously the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein .shown and described. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly, since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and subcombinations.

What I claim is:-

1. A surfacing machine for surfacing leather comprising, in combination, a frame; a surfacing roll journaled in the frame; a feed roll, releasable means normally exerting constant pressure on the feed roll to move it toward the surfacing roll; a spring-urged pinch rollcooperating with the feed roll; means to disengage the surfaced hide from the surfacing roll and thereby prevent it from wrapping around the surfacing ,roll; and a rotary power-driven brush adjustable relative to and normally in contact with the feed roll to keep its periphery clean and to obviate wrapping of hides around the feed roll.

2. A surfacing machine for surfacing leather comprising, in combination, a frame; a surfacing roll joumaled in the frame; a feed roll composed of yieldable material; releasable means normally exerting constant pressure on the feed roll to move it toward the surfacing roll; a springurged pinch roll cooperating with the feed roll;

means to disengage the finished hide from the surfacing roll and thereby prevent it from wrapping around the surfacing roll; and means to guide the finished hide out of the forward end of the machine.

3. A surfacing machine for surfacing leather comprising, in combination, a frame; a surfacing roll journaled in the frame; a feed roll; releasable means normally eiierting constant pressure on the feed roll to move-it toward the surfacin roll; a spring-urged pinch roll cooperating with the feed roll; an adjustable rotary brush below the surfacing roll to disengage surfaced hides from the surfacing roll and thereby prevent them from wrapping around the surfacing roll; and means carried in part by said brush and in part by the frame to guide the finished hide out of the machine, said brush being so formed that its bristles are not worn by said guiding means,

4. A surfacing machine for surfacing leather comprising, in combination, a frame; a surfacing roll journaled in the frame; a feed roll; means to adjust the said roll toward and from the surfacing roll; positive driving means for the feed roll permitting releasing and adjusting movements of the feed roll; releasable means normally exerting constant pressure on the feed roll to move it toward the surfacing roll; a spring-urged pinch roll cooperating with the feed roll; means to disengage the surfaced hide from the surfacing roll and thereby prevent it from wrapping around the surfacing roll; and means to disengage the surfaced hide from the feed roll, said means also serving to keep the surface of the feed roll clean.

5. A surfacing machine for surfacing hides comprising in combination, a frame; a surfacing roll journaled in the frame; said roll comprising a cylinder having an adhesive coating and abrasive material imbedded in adhesive; a feed roll of yieldable material cooperating with the surfacing roll; an adjustable pinch roll normally cooperating with the feed roll and movable into position to engage the surfacing roll to imbed the I abrasive into the adhesive on the cylinder when the frame in front of the surfacing roll; a feed' roll journaled in the brackets; a spring-urged pinch roll cooperating with the feed roll; a feed table secured to said brackets arranged to direct the hides between the feed and pinch rolls; means to drive the surfacing roll and feed roll at different peripheral speeds in opposite directions; a rotary brush carried by the feed table beneath the same and engaged with the feed roll; means to rotate the brush in the opposite direction from the feed roll to clean the surface of the feed roll; a system of weighted levers connected to the brackets to exert constant pressure on the feed roll to move it toward the surfacing roll; and a foot treadle for moving the feed roll and table away from the surfacing roll.

'7. A surfacing machine for surfacing leather comprising, in combination, a frame; a surfacing roll journaled in the frame; a feed roll; releasable means normally urging constant pressure on the feed roll to move it toward the surfacing roll; a pinch roll cooperating with the feed roll to grip hides and feed them toward the surfacing roll; means to drive the feed roll; said pinch roll being an idler roll normally in contact with the feed roll but movable away-from the feed roll to permit passage of a hide therebetween; means to disengage the finished hide from the surfacing roll; and means to guide the finished hide out of one of the sides of the machine.

8. A surfacing machine comprising, in combination, a power-driven surfacing roll; powerdriven means for feeding hides toward the surfacing roll; means for disengaging the hides from the surfacing roll; a machine frame; and fixed means mounted on the machine frame for gui'ding the finished hides out of one of the sides of the machine.

9. A surfacing machine comprising, in combination, a frame; a power-driven surfacing roll rotatably mounted on the frameypower-driven means to feed hides to the surfacing roll; a rotary brush below the surfacing roll and normally held in position to release hides therefrom; means to drive the brush by power; means on the frame supporting the brush, said supporting means being movable downwardly by the operator away from the surfacing roll; and a plurality of guides each secured at one end to a bar hinged along a horizontal hinge axis upon the frame and having their outer ends resting on said rotary brush; the arrangement being such that when the operator moves the brush downwardly, the guides move with it, and are raised again when the brush is raised, so that the hides are guided out of the machine as they are removed from the surfacing roll by the rotary brush.

EDGAR H. VAN VALKENBURGH. 

